February 11, 2016 — If you think you get difficult calls in your service center, meet Alicia Ross. Ross is a communications officer handling 911 calls for the city of Durham, NC. The calls that she gets can range from a child picking up a cell phone and calling accidentally to calls about domestic disturbances,…Continue reading
January 28, 2016 — "Smile when you dial" is one of the reminders that Adam Toporek, author of Be Your Customer’s Hero, keeps by his phone to remind himself to smile and to keep his voice positive when speaking to a customer. Others are "Are you smiling?" and "Shoulders back. Smile!" While the reminders are helpful,…Continue reading
January 14, 2016 — Asking questions is one of the most powerful tools service providers have for helping customers. So consultant Shep Hyken recommends "Asking the extra question" to ensure complete understanding of the customer’s needs. As he explains in the January issue of Customer Communicator newsletter, "asking the extra question is a powerful way to understand…Continue reading
December 23, 2015 — Listening is a vital part of customer service, says Editor William Keenan in the December issue of Customer Communicator. And good listeners rely on more than just their ears. They get their whole body into the act, even when they are dealing with customers over the phone. Keenan recommends keeping the three…Continue reading
December 10, 2015 — During the busy holiday season, things can become even more hectic for service professionals — and, it may be hard to remain cheerful and motivated throughout a long day. This is when your frontline staff should make a withdrawal from the Motivation Bank. As this month’s issue of Customer Communicator explains, the Motivation…Continue reading
November 25, 2015 — Every time-management expert has their own approach to getting through the daily round of tasks. But author Scott Ford has the simplest. That makes it one of the most likely to be used in the busy customer service environment. In the November issue of Customer Communicator newsletter, he explains what he calls…Continue reading
October 15, 2015 — There are three bad habits that consultant Jeff Toister sees again and again in customer service centers. "They are all interrelated, and they are a real challenge to customer service reps," he says, "not only because they hurt service levels, but because they are partially driven by instinctive behaviors — and…Continue reading
August 10, 2015 — In a recent survey, seventy percent of respondents said that civility has eroded in the last few years and two-thirds said they think the United States has a significant problem with rudeness. August is National Win-With-Civility Month, and what better time to focus attention on ensuring that everyone on the service…Continue reading
July 24, 2015 — You don’t need a cape, or superpowers, to be a hero to your customers. In fact, anyone can be a customer hero says Adam Toporek, author of Be Your Customer’s Hero. For Toporek, being a customer hero depends on three things, which are within the grasp of every frontline service professional. The…Continue reading
July 10, 2015 — In difficult customer service situations, it helps to have a game plan — a strategy worked out in advance that takes the emotion out of potentially volatile situations. For customer service author and trainer Adam Toporek, the best strategy is to CATER to your customers. In the July issue of Customer Communicator newsletter,…Continue reading
